The complete beginner’s guide to Peperomias (plus popular varieties)

All Peperomia plants will enjoy a nice, bright window with mostly indirect light.  Place your plants right in front of a window for best results.  Although some Peperomia plants can tolerate lower light, they will eventually start to decline and growth will be very poor.

Don’t be afraid to give your plants some direct sun, as long as you are not placing your plant in direct sun for too long.  Approximately 2-3 hours of morning or afternoon sunshine can be very beneficial for your plant, especially during wintertime.

Because they are semi-succulent in nature, allow your Peperomia’s potting mix to dry out somewhat between watering.  As a general rule of thumb for all Peperomias, allow at least the top quarter of the potting mix to dry out before watering again.

Some species are more drought tolerant than others, and I review more details on soil moisture for specific species at the end of this post.

Of all the popular species grown indoors, just be careful with Peperomia caperata.  This one is the least forgiving when its soil dries out completely (the plant will quickly droop).  Most of the other Peperomia species are much more forgiving and can tolerate drying out completely, as long as it’s not for terribly long.

Average indoor temperatures are perfectly fine for your Peperomias.  Since most hail from subtropical to tropical areas, avoid cold temperatures.  65-75F will be a comfortable range for your plants.

Like any plant, avoid any cold or hot drafts from any vents in your home, and stay away from any doors that are constantly opening and closing during cold weather.

Average indoor humidity will also suffice for most Peperomia plants, but it can be beneficial to increase humidity, especially if you have exceedingly dry indoor air which is typical of homes with forced air heat.

A well-draining potting mix is a must.  Consider adding some perlite or pumice to an all-purpose potting mix in order to increase drainage.  Everyone’s indoor conditions are different, but you can try experimenting with 3 parts of an all-purpose potting mix with 1 part perlite or pumice and adjust from there if needed.  Adding more perlite or pumice will help your mix drain better and dry out faster.

Peperomia do not have large, deep root systems so avoid over-potting your plants, otherwise, the large volume of soil can take too long to dry out and increase the risk of root rot, depending on your conditions.

If your plant is root-bound and needs a larger pot, only go up by one-pot size and no larger.  For example, if you have a plant growing in a 4-inch diameter pot, go up to a 6-inch diameter pot only and no bigger.

Peperomia obtusifolia – Baby Rubber Plant

This species gets my vote for the easiest Peperomia to grow.  It is native to Florida, Mexico, Central & South America.  If you have never grown any Peperomia, this is a great one to start with.

  They can dry out completely with no complaints, making them perfect for the slightly neglectful indoor gardener.  This is a non-trailing Peperomia and has pretty stiff upright growth.  It will ultimately get between 1-2 feet tall in good conditions.

Peperomia argyreia – Watermelon

It is easy to see why this Brazilian native is commonly called Watermelon Peperomia.  The leaves look strikingly similar to the rind of watermelon, and the plant is clump-forming.

Try and be careful to not let this one dry out completely before watering again.  The entire plant will start to droop and weaken.  It is not a drought-tolerant Peperomia like the obtusifolia species.

Peperomia tetragona – Parallel

Sometimes known as Peperomia puteolata, this delightful trailing Peperomia is native to Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.

My own plant is growing in a hanging pot and has gotten over 6 feet long.  If they get too long for your liking, you can cut them back and use the cuttings to propagate.

Peperomia ‘Ruby Cascade’

This stunning trailing plant has gorgeous red undersides on the leaves and can quickly trail to a few feet long.

Easily propagated with cuttings, it’s exceedingly easy and quick to make more plants.

Peperomia prostrata – String of Turtles

This Ecuadorian native is another trailing species whose small, round foliage has markings that resemble turtle shells.

Allow, at most, the top quarter of the potting mix to dry out, but do not allow all of the potting mix to dry out for this species otherwise, it will quickly develop brown leaves and drop plenty of leaves.

Peperomia caperata – Ripple

This Brazilian rainforest native has beautiful, quilted, and rippled leaves.  This compact, non-trailing Peperomia is great for smaller spaces.

Just be careful to not let this one dry out completely because the plant will quickly droop and collapse in a pretty dramatic fashion.